lean

verb
UK: /liːn/
US: /liːn/

  1. To slope in one direction or rest against something for support.

    1. I like to lean on my friend's shoulder sometimes. [ ] [ ]
    2. The old fence started to lean dangerously after the heavy storm. [ ] [ ]

  2. To move or bend your body in a particular direction.

    1. Lean closer so I can whisper something in your ear. [ ] [ ]
    2. She had to lean forward to hear the speaker over the crowd's noise. [ ] [ ]

  3. To tend toward or be influenced by a particular opinion, belief, or quality.

    1. I lean towards accepting their offer because it seems fair. [ ] [ ]
    2. His policies tend to lean towards more conservative ideas. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

slender slope thin favor trim tend incline
lean adjective

  1. Thin and healthy.

    1. The meat was lean and full of protein. [ ] [ ]
    2. Regular exercise and a healthy diet will help you stay lean. [ ] [ ]

  2. Containing little fat.

    1. We bought lean beef for the burgers. [ ] [ ]
    2. A lean diet is often recommended by doctors for some people. [ ] [ ]

  3. Efficient and with no waste.

    1. The company is now a lean operation after the restructuring. [ ] [ ]
    2. We need to make our manufacturing process more lean and efficient. [ ] [ ]
lean noun

  1. The act or state of leaning; a sloping position.

    1. The tower's lean is obvious from a distance. [ ] [ ]
    2. The photographer wanted to capture the dramatic lean of the cliffs. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "lean" in English means: To slope in one direction or rest against something for support., To move or bend your body in a particular direction., To tend toward or be influenced by a particular opinion, belief, or quality..

The phonetic transcription of "lean" is /liːn/ in British English and /liːn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "lean": slender, slope, thin, favor, trim, tend, incline.

Example usage of "lean": "I like to lean on my friend's shoulder sometimes.". More examples on the page.